​It seems to have happened so quickly! The fields of winter wheat standing tall with their blue-green color caught my eye. Almost overnight the color of the fields of grain turned into a golden tan. This color against the green trees and blue sky drew me in. Harvest time is coming!
 
Winter wheat is planted in the fall so that it can be harvested in the spring and summer. After the harvest, the farmer has several options for his next step. Some farmers choose to leave their fields fallow so that they can rest and nutrients can be replenished before planting another crop. Others will plan a cover crop like rye, vetch, or oats. Their purpose is to improve soil health, prevent erosion, and suppress weeds. Some will decide to double-crop and plant soybeans or sorghum that need to be harvested before the next winter wheat seed is planted.
 
Like physical harvesting, spiritual harvesting has a process. The most important part of seed planting involves preparing the ground. This includes plowing and adding fertilizer and nutrients to the soil. In the spiritual context, seeds of faith are sown when we share the Gospel after the heart is prepared to receive the good news. A farmer nurtures his crop with water and fertilizer and removes the weeds that compete with the crop. A Believer in Jesus should be fed by reading the Word, praying, interacting with other Christians, and resisting negative influences. Just as the farmer must be patient and persevering in tending his crop, a Believer needs these characteristics to grow in Christlikeness.
 
A farmer knows the signs that indicate harvest time is near. Likewise, the community of faith can see a transformed life. Believers are called to be laborers in the harvest. Luke 10:2 tells us, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field." The parable of the growing seed appears in the book of Mark, verses 26 to 29. "Jesus also told them this parable: God's kingdom realm is like someone spreading seed on the ground. He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, and the seed sprouts and grows tall, though he knows not how. All by itself it sprouts, and the soil produces a crop; first the green stem, then the head on the stalk, and then the fully developed grain in the head. Then, when the grain is ripe, he immediately puts the sickle to the grain, because harvest time has come." (TPT)
 
As we approach end times, we know that the Lord is looking for helpers in the harvest. Mature saints, who continue to grow in wisdom and faith, are needed to sow into the lives of others. It is expected that we will persevere in the process of nurturing those who are newer in the faith. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that "He does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance." Harvest is a time of celebration. We are reminded of God's faithfulness and that we are part of His plan that we bear fruit. Our challenge is to deepen our relationship with God so that we can share our faith with others. Let's be cognizant of any opportunity to share the good news of the Gospel with those that God brings into our lives.

​These are perilous times that we live in. So many around the world are facing extraordinary trauma along with physical needs. The disciples asked Jesus, "What will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age?" He told them, "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famine and earthquakes in various places. All are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the world as a testimony of all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:3-14)
 
These verses sound like a description of our times; however, much still needs to be accomplished for the end to come. Primarily, there is an ocean of people who need to hear the gospel of Christ. The Lord's desire is that all humankind be saved so that they can live with Him for eternity. We play a part in the accomplishment of the Lord's end game. As it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." Not only are we to do this, but we are to follow the advice in 1 Timothy 2:1-3. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Savior who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
 
Paul's advice to the believers at the church in Thessalonica and to Timothy as he ministered to the church in Ephesus is for us. No matter how we feel about the leaders of our country, the mandate remains: Pray for them! Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel, recently sent a message of encouragement to President Trump that bears repeating: "Mr. President, God spared you in Butler, PA, to be the most consequential President in a century—maybe ever. The decisions on your shoulders I would not want to be made by anyone else. You have many voices speaking to you, Sir, but there is only ONE voice that matters. HIS voice. I am your appointed servant in this land and am available for you, but I do not try to get in your presence often because I trust your instincts. No president in my lifetime has been in a position like yours. Not since Truman in 1945. I don't reach out to persuade you. Only to encourage you. I believe you will hear from heaven and that voice is far more important than mine or ANYONE else's. You sent me to Israel to be your eyes, ears, and voice and to make sure our flag flies above our embassy. My job is to be the last one to leave. I will not abandon this post. Our flag will NOT come down! You did not seek this moment. This moment sought YOU! It is my honor to serve you!" I am sure that Mike Huckabee realizes the pressure that is on our president and desired to point him in the right direction. The decisions that President Trump must make will not only impact us but the world around us.
 
Praise God that the Holy Spirit is with us to remind us that we are supernaturally empowered to walk in peace. And as it says in James 1:5, we should ask God for wisdom because the "wisdom that comes from God is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:17) As we pray, we must remember the innocent people who are caught in the crosshairs of the battle between Israel and Iran. Ask the Lord to have mercy on them. Pray that God will give victory to the righteous and will take down the evil principalities and powers over the Middle East. We must recognize that President Trump has made and continues to make extremely critical decision about how the United States will help Israel. He and his team need the wisdom of God for ongoing plans on how to engage on the world stage. We want God's will to be done and His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. When this is done, the door for revival will be opened in the Middle East and around the world.

​At its core, being a father means one who forms and nurtures another human being. What generates these actions is love. To experience true love, we must look to Father God. He is the One who takes immense joy in pouring out His love upon us. He tells us in Song of Solomon that He takes us to His banqueting table and that His banner over us is love. We were made in His image which means we are made to receive and give love. True love transforms a person.
 
Sadly, many in the world today do not understand the true meaning of love. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that if we "have not learned to love, we are nothing." It goes on to define love: "Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one's achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving..." (Verses 4-8 - TPT) 
 
May I suggest that it is the enemy of our souls who has twisted the meaning of true love. Because so many children have not received or are not receiving the love they were made for, they are buying into lies and looking for love in the wrong places. A primary purpose for fathers is to give their children love. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, reports in an article from June 10, 2025, that nearly one-quarter of children live apart from their biological fathers. He writes, "A child without a dad is five times more likely to experience poverty, nine times more likely to drop out of school, and far likelier to battle identity confusion." I would also add that the terror organizations across the world have been able to entice young men into their communities who are looking for acceptance. These young people are confused about their identities and truth, so they willingly obey commands from mentally unstable leaders to carry out unthinkable violence.
 
For those of us who are Christians, we have a dual responsibility: We must abide in the love of our Father so that we can give that love away. John 15:9-13 quotes Jesus: "I love each of you with the same love that the Father loves me. You must continually let my love nourish your hearts. If you keep my commands you will live in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands, for I continually live nourished and empowered by His love. My purpose for telling you these things is so that the joy that I experience will fill your hearts with overflowing gladness! So this is my command: Love each other deeply, as much as I have loved you. For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices all..." (TPT)
 
Let's think about what Jesus did for us. Could it have been the love of our Heavenly Father that gave Him the strength to complete the call on His life? I believe so. Also, let us think about the depth of the love of Father God who was willing to sacrifice His precious Son. He did this for us! It is my prayer that we will spend part of Father's Day contemplating the great love of our Heavenly Father and that we would be intentional about loving someone else who is in our lives. Here is what Tony Perkins says about the great need in our country for father figures:  "America needs men who understand their purpose, love sacrificially, and lead spiritually." Amen!

It is all about seeing if the wind will carry you. I've watched the eagles’ nest in Big Bear Valley with Mom and Dad, Jackie and Shadow, and their two babies almost daily for the last three months. The “cam” has given millions of us a "bird's eye view," so to speak, of the babies, Sunny and Gizmo, growing from grey fuzzy balls into feathered eagles about the same size as their parents. It has been determined that both babies are girls.
 
Practice is what makes any task doable. Such is the case with the eaglets who are now called fledglings as they prepare to fly. Preparation includes jumping up and down, and flapping their wings, and testing the wind currents. I read that birds have an inherent ability to fly that develops during their physical maturation. Daily, Sunny and Gizmo step out onto the large branches around the nest and do wing exercises to help them build up strength and agility. Monday morning, we were all treated to the exciting view of Sunny finally taking her first flight. Her confidence combined with the draw of the wind convinced her to spread her wings and soar. She did not return to the nest until the next day, when she shared a fish with her sister. Gizmo, the younger of the eaglets by a few days, waited until yesterday to take flight from the nest tree.
 
Watching these eagles prepare for their flight showed me that they are made to fly. Like the eagles, Christians are also made to soar in heavenly places. The prophet Isaiah encourages us in our call to fly with the Lord, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31) When it is time for us to fly, God stirs up our "nests" just as the eaglets’ parents do. He does this so we learn to soar on heights. Like the eaglets, we must learn to fly on our own and feed ourselves daily.
 
Learning to fly can be a metaphor for life. There is a process involved that we must embrace so we reach our destinations. Taking flight releases us from our limitations. As we begin flying, we should recognize that flight presents us with opportunities and challenges. A comforting thought should be that the Holy Spirit is with us to help us make the right decisions about how to negotiate the terrain that is before us. In addition, we have an example that was set by Jesus so we can soar like Him. Recall how He regularly spent time waiting on His Father and resting before "taking flight." As we wait on the Lord, we rest and bind together with Him so that our weakness becomes strength and power.
 
The secret to the flight of eagles is their ability to use air currents to soar. They only flap their wings in preparation to reach the good air currents. God has given them an innate ability to sense the motion of the wind currents. Eagles will intentionally head into the winds of a storm, because the strong winds will take them higher and they will have the ability to see things from an expanded perspective. This is our call. God takes us over the clouds of our difficulties so that we can see life from His perspective.
 
Here is our challenge: We must spread our wings of faith to catch the winds of the Spirit and soar to greater heights to live like Jesus did and realize the destiny God has for us. 

​ 
The significance of God's timing and His coordination of events speaks loudly about His brilliance. On this very night, the 6th of Sivan, the third month on the Hebrew calendar, we should be aware of the "trifecta" of events that converge. They are all about the physical provision, revelation, and power that God gives His people. In Scripture, He commanded them to appear before Him three times a year to celebrate His goodness and align their lives with His timing. The first of these three feasts is to remember God's deliverance from Egypt and is called Passover or Pesach. Next comes Pentecost or Shavuot. On this day, the children of Israel brought to the temple the firstfruits of their wheat harvest and gave thanks for God's physical provision.
 
It is no coincidence that the Lord chose the day of firstfruits to give Moses and the Israelites the law of the Old Covenant. God gave Moses a reminder and a promise in Exodus 19:4-5. "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." In Exodus 19:16-18 it is reported: "On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled...Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace; the whole mountain trembled violently." Then the ten commandments were engraved in stone.
 
About 1,400 years later Jesus was born. He came as the fulfillment of the law. (Matthew 5:17, 18) His life was one free from all sin, as He perfectly kept both the letter and the spirit of the law. Christ's life and death met the requirements of the Old Testament law. His death and resurrection removed the law as a way of coming to God. It was replaced with salvation by faith in Christ's finished work on the Cross. Jesus broke down the divisions between God and us to bring us peace with Him. Here is how Ephesians 2:14 and 15 puts it: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace."
 
For forty days after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His apostles and gave them a command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit...You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:4, 5, 8) Their waiting was rewarded on the day called Shavuot (meaning weeks)—seven weeks from the Sabbath of Passover week—plus one day or fifty days. The Spirit of God descended to fulfill Pentecost (meaning fifty). "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:1-4) Here we have God's provision of power, boldness, and revelation. It was the day when the Word and the Spirit came together as one.
 
The third commanded feast, Tabernacles, will not take place until the fall when we begin a new year on the secular Hebrew calendar and a time to repent for our sins and rejoice in the glory of God. In the meantime, we have much to contemplate. Jeremiah 31:33 tells us that God fulfilled His promise by writing His law on our hearts. Let us give thanks for all of God's promises and remember the "trifecta" of provision: Harvest to physically sustain us, Torah to guide and nourish us spiritually, and the Holy Spirit as the Lord's guiding, sustaining, and nourishing presence with us. Let us also cry out to the Lord for a fresh infilling of His Spirit and an illumination of the Scriptures.